Peace Health United General Issued Environmental Penalty

Skagit County, WA – The Washington Department of Ecology issued over $210,100 in penalties of $1,000 or more in the first quarter of 2019.

Ecology works with thousands of businesses and individuals to help them comply with state laws. Penalties are issued in cases where non-compliance continues after Ecology has provided technical assistance or warnings, or for particularly serious violations.

The money owed from penalties may be reduced from the issued amount due to settlement or court rulings. Funds collected go to the state’s general fund or to dedicated pollution prevention accounts

The only penalty listed for Skagit County was in Sedro-Woolley on March 6th, 2019 to Peace Health United General Hospital for $2,000. The hospital was fined for failing to register an underground storage tank, installed in 1993, that supplies diesel fuel for an emergency generator. They were also ordered to comply with requirements to prevent and detect leaks from the tank and related piping and pumps. The Department of Ecology said the penalty was paid by the hospital.

The largest penalty issued was in King County on February 13th, 2019 to Seattle Iron and Metals Corp for violating pollution limits 43 times on discharges into the Duwamish River. The Department of Ecology says Seattle Iron and Metals also failed to maintain facilities that protect the waterway from untreated storm water in 2017 and 2018. Seattle Iron and Metals Corp paid the fine.

To see a list of all penalties assessed in the first quarter of 2019 by the Washington Department of Ecology, click here.